Financial Cost Accountant

Public Sector Resourcing, managed by AMS; Corsham; Hybrid; GBP 83,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Defence (MOD) is seeking a Financial Cost Accountant (Inside IR35) for an initial 12-month hybrid contract in Corsham, Wiltshire. You will support Strategic Services with specialist financial management, cost modelling, and MI reporting, coordinating with finance, project and delivery teams.

The role requires active DV clearance or SC clearance with willingness to DV sponsorship; you will work to reconcile balances, develop cost models, and lead cost reviews across a large programme

Qualifications

• Experience in complex organisations
• Ability to interpret financial data and produce actionable insights
• Experience creating, developing, and maintaining sophisticated cost models
• Strong balance sheet reconciliation and asset accounting experience
• Knowledge of MOD JSP655 and government accounting standards

Responsibilities

• Provide financial management support to the Strategic Services portfolio and project teams
• Reconcile capital balances and Asset Delivery Schedules
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc management information
• Conduct detailed financial data analysis and investigations
• Undertake financial deep dives to provide assurance and insight
• Develop and maintain cost models to support decision-making
• Interpret and apply financial accounting standards to business scenarios
• Lead monthly cost review meetings with stakeholders
• Support assurance activities, governance, and reviews
• Coordinate between finance and cost modelling teams
• Engage with military, civil service, project and finance stakeholders
• Ensure knowledge transfer to Crown resources at contract completion

Skills

Cost accounting

Balance sheet reconciliation

Advanced Excel

Financial modelling

Independent working

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant

Tools

MOD JSP655

Job description

On behalf of the MOD, we are looking for a Financial Cost Accountant (Inside IR35) for an initial 12 month contract based hybrid in Corsham, Wiltshire. Office attendance is 2-3 days a week but at least 1 day a week is mandatory.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a central government department with a mission to protect our country and provide the ultimate guarantee of its security and independence, as well as helping to protect its values and interests abroad.

The MOD is one of the biggest public procurement organisations in Europe and the single largest customer for UK industry. It currently manages approximately £20 billion of spend on capital investments in equipment and infrastructure every year. Over the next decade the MOD is committed to spending over £190 billion on equipment and support. The MOD's customers include both the armed forces and national security agencies, and it has a diverse range of requirements, including military fighting vehicles, education services, nuclear submarines and facilities management.

The MOD's aim is to provide its armed forces with the best capabilities to enable them to protect the UK's security and advance national interests, both now and in the long term.

To do this the MOD has an annual budget of almost £53 billion and a workforce comprising 197,000 people. of which 54,000 are civilians working for the UK MOD.

The work really matters; the MOD offers a range of engaging roles which have a direct impact on the quality of services they provide, in many locations across the UK. We support teams working in HR, Primary Health Care, Corporate Services, and many others.

Role Profile:

To support the Ministry of Defence's Strategic Services Portfolio.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a high-profile programme, providing specialist financial management, cost accounting expertise, and analytical support across a complex defence environment.

Working closely with finance, project, and delivery teams, you will play a key role in investigating balance sheet positions, asset delivery schedules, cost modelling activities, management information reporting, and stakeholder engagement across a large-scale portfolio.

This role offers the opportunity to work on critical defence programmes while contributing to informed financial decision-making within a highly secure environment.

PLEASE NOTE: Active SC or DV Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

As a Financial Cost Accountant, your main responsibilities will be to:

• Provide subject matter expertise and financial support to finance and project teams across the Strategic Services portfolio.
• Reconcile capital balances and Asset Delivery Schedules.
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc management information (MI) to support financial requests, reporting requirements, and returns.
• Conduct detailed financial data analysis and investigations.
• Undertake financial deep dives across project areas to provide assurance and financial insight.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance cost models to support decision-making.
• Interpret and apply financial accounting standards to business scenarios and management information outputs.
• Lead monthly cost review meetings with key stakeholders.
• Support assurance activities, management reviews, and governance requirements.
• Work collaboratively across both finance and cost modelling teams, acting as a bridge between the two functions.
• Build strong relationships with military, civil service, project, and finance stakeholders.
• Ensure effective knowledge transfer and handover of all tasking and acquired knowledge to Crown resources at contract completion.

Essential:

• Full or part-qualified Accountant status (or equivalent demonstrable financial accounting experience).
• Strong financial cost accounting experience within a complex organisation.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience creating, developing, and maintaining sophisticated cost models.
• Strong balance sheet reconciliation and asset accounting experience.
• Knowledge and practical application of MOD JSP655.
• Ability to work independently while engaging effectively across large stakeholder groups.
• Current DV Clearance, or active SC Clearance with willingness and eligibility to undergo DV sponsorship.

Desirable:

• Previous Ministry of Defence (MOD) finance experience.
• Experience supporting defence approvals and acquisition programmes.
• Understanding of Defence Lines of Development (DLoDs).
• Experience working within government or wider public sector finance functions.
• Knowledge of defence portfolio, programme, or project finance environments.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, the MOD guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group.

This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

The MOD guarantees to interviewveterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all the essential criteria, wewill interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.